The United States and Japan will step up their defence cooperation to deal with the threat from nuclear-armed North Korea as tensions in East Asia remain high, officials from the two allies said on Thursday.

Perrin to apply for bail before appeal

Convicted fraudster and former Billabong boss Matthew Perrin will seek to be released from prison as he prepares to appeal his eight-year jail sentence.

The 44-year-old former CEO was jailed in January after being found guilty of forging his then-wife's signature to scam $13.5 million from a bank, using a luxury Gold Coast home, which was solely in her name, as security.

He was convicted following a week-long trial at the Brisbane District Court, where a jury found him guilty of three charges of fraud and six of forgery.

On Friday his lawyer Nathan Hounsell confirmed to AAP a notice of appeal had been lodged on the grounds the verdict was unsafe and unsatisfactory.

Perrin will apply for bail on February 17 as his team prepares the appeal, Brisbane District Court heard on Friday morning, as Mr Hounsell sought access to jury notes from the trial.

The notes, which were communications between the jury and Judge Julie Dick, related to definitions of fraud and documents in evidence at the trial, the court heard.

During his trial, the jury heard that in 2008 Perrin urgently needed credit from the Commonwealth Bank to fund his failing investments, so he forged then-wife Nicole Bricknell's signature to secure a loan against their waterfront home at Surfers Paradise.